Overhead trolley and supporting rails therefor



June 20, 1933. w. H. STEVENS 1,914,467

OVERHEAD TROLLEY AND SUPPORTING RAILS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 25, 1951.

Inventor Patented June 20, 1933 YATES rear WILLIAM H. STEVENS, OF NEW YGRK, N. Y.

Application filed September 25, 1981.

This invention relates to overhead trolleys and supporting rails therefor.

The primary object of the invention resides in an overhead third rail structure especially adapted for use in construction and re pair shops of electric locomotives and electrio multiple unit cars, wherein it 1s desired to move the locomotives and cars about without requiring the services of a propelled shifting vehicle as it will be appreciated that in such shops, it is dangerous to install the charged electric third rail where it m ght accidentally be brought in contact with the employees.

Another object of the invention is to provide an overhead Tshaped rail, and a carriage movably supported thereon, and wherein the wheels of the carriage are in flat contact with the traction surface of the rail to provide a more perfect electrical connection therebetween.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an overhead trolley structure in which the carriage is of a simple and rigid construction to prevent accidental jumping of the same from the third ra1l, and which is accessible for instant inspection and repairs.

Vv'ith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claim, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective View of the pull cable connector member.

Referring to the drawing by reference character, the numeral designates a supporting structure which may be in the form of a ceiling, wall or the like and which supports spaced alined insulators 11, each of which is provided with a threaded stud 12. The stud 12 of each insulator threads into Serial No. 585,174.

a threaded socket 13 provided in a bracket member 1a, the same being bifurcated as at 15 for a purpose to be explained.

The numeral 16 designates an inverted T- shaped rail 16 which is adapted to be charged be seen that the charged rail 16 is supported from the supporting structure 10 and is ino sulated therefrom.

Movable lengthwise of the rail 16 is a trolley which includes a carriage 20, the said carriage comprising identica frame members 21 constructed of brass or other like conducting material. A tube or sleeve 22 spans the space between the frame members 21 for holding the same in spaced relation, while passing through openings in the frame members and through the sleeve 22 is a bolt 23, the outer threaded ends of which receive nuts 24. It will therefore be seen that when the nuts 24 are screwed "against the outer sides of the frame members 21, the said members will be secured in spaced relation. The space between the frame members is slightly larger than the width of the base of the rail 16 in order that the carriage will have free sliding movement len thwise of the rails 16.

Mounted with the tops of the frame members 21 and disposed diametrically opposite each other, are sets of headed studs 25 which may be termed axles for rotatably supporting tract-ion wheels 26, the inner headed ends of the studs being seated in recesses 27 pro Vided on the inner faces of the wheels or rollers 26. Self oiling bushings 28 are provided in the wheels, through which the shafts or shanks of the headed studs extend,

while the outer free ends of the studs threadcarriage 20. The wheels are relatively broad and flatly engage the tops of the flanges 18 to provide a positive electrical connection between the charged rails 16 and the trolley structure.

Journaled in the lower end of the frame members 21 is a brass block 30 of a length approximately the same as the width'of the space between the frame members 21, while extending outwardly from opposite ends of the block are round trunnions 31 which extend through bearing openings provided in the frame members 21. Cotter pins 32 pass through the trunnions for preventing lateral shifting of the block during its pivotal movement.

Formed in the block 30 is a tapered recess 33 through the narrow end of which passes one end of an electric pull cable 34. After the end of the cable 34 has been inserted into the recess, the same is filled with solder as shown at 35 in Figure 2 and the cable is further secured by set screws 36 which thread into one side of the block 30 and serve to clamp the end of the cable against the walls of the recess. Although the trunnions 31 form an electrical connection between the frame members 21 and the block 30, I prefer to electrically connect the block with the frame members by cross flexible copper shunt cables 36, one end of each cable being secured to a frame member 21, while the opposite end is secured to the block 30 by screws or like fastening elements 37. This provides a positive electrical connection between the frame members of the carriage and the block 30 to which the conductor pull cable 34 is fixedly connected.

As before stated, the construction is especially adapted for use in locomotive construction and repair shops, and in use, the free end of the conductor cable 34 is adapted to be placed in contact with the collector shoe of the electric locomotive or car in order to supply the necessary current for permitting the locomotive or car to be put in motion. During this operation, the workman holding the cable may walk beside the elec,

tric locomotive or electric car and will of course exert a pull upon the carriage or trolley 20. Due to the pivotal con nection between the cable and the trolley there will be no kinking of the cable adjacent the point of connection with the trolley as the cable may be freely swung fromone side to the other.

Although I have described the invention for one particular use, it will be appreciated that the same is adaptable for other uses if desired, and I do not wish to limit myself to anything less than that afforded by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A carriage for overhead trolleys comprising a pair of vertically arranged frame members, means intermediate the upper and lower ends of said members for connecting said members together in fixed spaced relation, track engaging wheels journalled in the upper ends of said members, the lower ends of WILLIAM H. STEVENS. 

